Although I like the idea of NG or even better Hydrogen, what it the energy content/gal compared to gasoline?

Franco

07-12-2012, 01:59 PM

CNG powered Civic get an estimated 32 mpg's. I would guess that a pick up woud be around 22 --25 mpg's.

http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center-article_114/

The purchase price is about $4,000. more but the resale value will be superior to gasoline powered vehicles.

HPL

07-12-2012, 02:57 PM

So, no more giant propane tank in the bed of the truck?

road kill

07-12-2012, 03:01 PM

CNG powered Civic get an estimated 32 mpg's. I would guess that a pick up woud be around 22 --25 mpg's.

http://autos.yahoo.com/green_center-article_114/

The purchase price is about $4,000. more but the resale value will be superior to gasoline powered vehicles.

How do you know this???

Didley

07-12-2012, 03:03 PM

How do you know this???

Because the cost regular gasoline is only ever-rising.

Once the demand for NG shoots up, though, it will be a negligible benefit.

Jason Glavich

07-12-2012, 03:09 PM

The civic is made by honda not nissan. Ford made vehicles for NG for many years, but stopped due to no filling stations. There is a guy I work with that has 3 of them and used to use NG all the time, now he uses gas because there are no stations available here in Northern VA near DC. The vehicles I have seen use both gas and NG the issue is the NG tank takes up most of the trunk, so I would say resale would be lower. The guy did say though when he used NG the oil was always cleaner during a change then with gas, the cylinder scopes I have seen show less wear and grime in a NG motor compared to gasoline.

road kill

07-12-2012, 03:26 PM

Because the cost regular gasoline is only ever-rising.

Once the demand for NG shoots up, though, it will be a negligible benefit.
That is actually a great point, if Obama has his way, we won't have any gasoline!!!:D

Franco

07-12-2012, 03:41 PM

Don't forget thet the NG reserves are massive, easier and cheaper to produce than oil. Once CNG vehicles start hitting the raod in bigger numbers, it will lessen the dependence on gasoline and foreign oil.

HPL, the Civic that I saw look normal enough, same room in the back as the gasoline power ones. I undertand that CNG has been available for some time now but the infastructure just wasn't there. Apache has an aggressive plan to build more CNG Filling Stations around the country. I may have to buy 10 shares of their stock;-) I don't think the pickups will have that huge tank because it would never appeal to the consumer market and that is the market that the mfg's are going after as well as fleet.

The local Honda dealer has a waiting list of customers wanting CNG Civics. When vehicles are in demand, they generally hold a much better resale value. Gasoline has gone down in price at the pump but, that won't last.

Gerry Clinchy

07-12-2012, 04:04 PM

Just curious ... was the development of these CNG vehicles market-driven (private sector investment) or govt-subsidized (like electric car and solar panels)?

Franco

07-12-2012, 05:04 PM

Just curious ... was the development of these CNG vehicles market-driven (private sector investment) or govt-subsidized (like electric car and solar panels)?

Good question. I don't know the extent at which companies like Apache are getting incentives for building CNG Filling Stations but I'll bet there are some from the Feds. I do know that Apache and another company have been trying to get into the CNG Filling Station business for a while since both are large producers on natural gas. Could be in the form of tax breaks for both auto mfg's and filling stations.

The demand is there, especially in our area for CNG because folks around here understand the oil and gas business and the massive reserves we have inland, underground.

I've been very critical of government interference in what the private sector should be doing. But, until the Feds do get out completely, stop proping up trash like Ethanol etc., a little government help is in order. And, if the government would get out of trying to pick winners, speculating on different companies and leave it to the private sector, there is enough critcal mass supporting CNG from the private sector to get this industry rolling down the road.

Jason Glavich

07-13-2012, 08:24 AM

The military has been using CNG vehicles as fleet vehicles for a long time. At least 10 years, the buses vans, trucks and some of the cars. You just had to plan the trip to get fuel.